Parallel Universe
by unitsgore
Summary: Before Raithwall, there was the Diamond Shard, and it was stolen by a certain prodigal. Now, Balthier must find this Shard, save Ivalice again , and confront his past. If only the pirate wasn't such a dirty slut. BalthierxEveryone. Rating may change.


[**Author's note: **Yeah this chapter is a little boring, but it'll get interesting eventually. No one'll probably read it anyway. Title of the story courtesy of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, that song is beastly, one of the greatest songs on Californication. "Isherei" means "my sister." And I know this trial is weird, but they roll differently in Ivalice than we roll here, at least how we roll in the U.S. Oh, and I will _try_ to update Lux Ex Tenebris, for those sorry souls who are reading it. You know how writers block is, man. It sucks major hairy cow dick but it is what it is.]

PARALLEL UNIVERSE

One: Sidewinder

**708 Old Valendian, Case No. 85647-9653, The Main Room, The Royal Court of Dalmasca**

"Will everyone please stand. Her majesty Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca presiding," the bailiff stated and handed Ashe a folder, "Case number 85647-9653, Ffamran Mid Bunansa versus the country of Archadia. Everyone please have a seat," he added and resumed his position next to the Queen's stand.

According to the laws of the Galtean Alliance, if an entire country is suing one person or another country, a neighboring country will judge that trial. This law was placed to avoid special treatment.

Ashe was taken aback by this; it was too bad she was not warned before taking a case, "Balthier? What in all of Ivalice could he have done to upset his homeland?" she asked herself as Balthier was "courteously escorted" into the court room. In other words, two Imperial Judges beat him senseless as he walked to the defendant's stand. "Stop beating him, he hasn't even been tried!" Lady Ashe ordered in disgust.

One of the judges laughed, "Why? We already know he did it, so we're just giving him a glimpse of what he's headed for," he said and kicked Balthier in the ribs as he was already in the fetal position on the ground.

"Yet I did not take this precious gem or yours and I am a tad ambiguous on why you suppose I stole your country's diamond. I have harbored no ill towards Archadia!" he shouted at the judge and kneed him in between the legs, which caused him to be pinned down by the other judge and, again, being brutally assaulted.

The Queen pounded her mallet against her stand, but when the assault did not stop and her bailiff did nothing, she leaped from her throne and single-handedly pulled the two judges off of him. Yes, Lady Ashe was a woman and a Queen, but she was also a warrior. She was a strong warrior and force that was not to be reckoned with.

"There will be no fighting in my court room! Do you understand me?! You _will_ shape up or ship out!" she shouted and pointed to the door. When no one said anything she helped Balthier up and began to walk to her throne. Ashe stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a metal gauntlet hit Balthier in the back of the head with such force that the pirate fell to the ground. Ashe turned and glared at the immature and idiotic judges, "I said there will be absolutely no fighting in my court room! Disobedience is _not_ tolerated! Officer Alezar, arrest them both on charges of assault," she demanded lent a hand for Balthier but he declined.

"I am a victim, Ashe, but I am not helpless," he said and winced as he stood, "My shoulder is dislocated," Balthier pointed out and slammed his arm into the ground, popping it back into place. Most men would scream in pain, but Balthier did not even wince.

Ashe took her place on her throne as Balthier took his place at the defendant's stand. The blond pirate refused an attorney; he decided that he would defend himself.

The trial began with Judge Magister Zargabaath representing Archadia, "Your majesty, the defendant has shown ill will to his homeland before. Eight years ago when Ffamran Mid Bunansa cowardly ran from his home he managed to obliterate three homes, including his own, and smolder half of Archades. If that is not ill will than I am not sure what is."

Balthier sighed, "I meant no harm to the rest of Archades, just the House of Bunansa. I was young and my knowledge of incendiaries happened to be excessively low," he said, but he knew it would do him no good.

"What I want to know is why Mr. Bunansa has not been charged with his previous crimes," Judge Zargabaath asked.

The sky pirate was confused, "You are a Judge Magister, Zargabaath, and you of all people should know that Larsa pardoned all of my previous transgressions," he stated.

"Of course, I am well aware of the pardons Emperor Larsa gave you, but why? What was in it for him? Money, treasure? We do often forget that his majesty is but a child. And what of your affair with Judge Magister Gabranth, Ffamran, surely you harbor ill will against your country because of that," Judge Magister Zargabaath said.

Balthier's expression flashed a sign of panic so brief that only Lady Ashe could see it. Balthier looked down at the desk in front of him, "Now, I am under oath and I do not lie, so I will not deny anything, but I would like to be notified of what, in all of Ivalice, that has to do with this very case and how I hate my country," the pirate said.

Ashe was surprised at this, "Wait, Balthier come up here," she said and the pirate walked toward her majesty's bench, "You slept with Basch's brother?" she whispered to the sky pirate.

Balthier looked away, and Ashe could see this hit him in the heart. In all of her years of knowing the pirate she had never seen him nervous or sad until today, "Yes," he said and looked Ashe in the eye, "I did. I had a very disturbing, repulsive, and unorthodox relationship with Noah fon Ronsenburg," he added.

"By the gods, Balthier does Basch know?" Ashe asked the blond sky pirate.

"No, and you will not tell him," he said and walked back to the defendant's stand and acted as if everything was back to normal. Balthier's the leading man, thus an extremely brilliant actor.

"Tell me, Judge Magister Zargabaath, what significant evidence you have that I stole this artifact of yours," Balthier said.

The Judge Magister smiled, "I have eye witness reports, recordings, and pictures that prove you stole the Diamond Shard eight years ago when you ran away from your homeland," he said.

A look of realization appeared on Balthier's face, "So, that is the object in question that I stole, is it? Well then, I confess, I did steal that eight years ago, but I assure you that it is long gone," he said and tugged at his cuffs.

Ashe was befuddled, "Wait, you did not tell Balthier what he was being arrested for? What kind of malarkey is this? How in all of Ivalice do you expect him to defend himself if he does not know the item of which he is defending himself for?" she asked.

"That… is a very valid point, your majesty, but we would still like the Diamond Shard back in Archadian hands. We are willing to make a deal though. If Ffamran finds the Diamond Shard for us, then we will drop all charges against him and he will be a free man," the Judge Magister responded. Balthier was not hesitant to agree, but after Balthier had said yes, there was no going back.

"Wonderful, then I will be glad to let you know that Judge Magister _Gabranth_ will be aiding you in your expedition," Zargabaath said and smiled as he put on his helmet. Balthier gulped in response.

"As will I, it will be like old times again, won't it Balthier?" Ashe asked.

Balthier smiled a sad smile, "I do suppose it will be. Will the street urchins be accompanying us, your majesty?" he asked.

"They are not street urchins, Balthier," she said, she hated that term.

"Yes, and I am not the most handsome, intelligent, and notorious sky pirate in all of Ivalice," he said with that smart ass smirk dancing across his face. Ashe hated it when he looked at her like that, it made her heart race.

"Egotistical bastard," she muttered loud enough for Balthier to hear, she then hit her mallet on the stand, "Judging for the plaintiff."

**That evening, The **_**Strahl**_

"Fran, I swear these blasted politics will be the death of me," Balthier stated as he lazily sprawled out on one of the sofas in the main room of the _Strahl_.

"The past does not disappear, Balthier, no matter how many times you change your name," the tall Veena Viera said and sat in the chair across from her partner.

Fran's right ear twitched a few times, signaling that something was wrong and this alarmed Balthier, "You have a feeling that this won't end well, don't you Fran?"

The viera looked her partner in the eyes, "No, I _know_ this will not end well. The Diamond Shard existed before Raithwall's time and is even featured in ancient Vieran folk songs and poems. It is said in a Vieran poem that when the Occuria formed Ivalice they gave certain objects to each race. The Occuria gave the humes the Diamond Shard. The Shard's power was meant to be used to help with commerce, but the humes harnessed the Shard's power and used it for violence, thus they became the most flourishing and powerful race in all of Ivalice. When Raithwall came to power he took the Diamond Shard and concealed it deep within the Sochen Cave Palace, but years later it was found by Archadians, who then used it to become the most prevailing Empire in Ivalice," she said. The look of worry was still apparent on her face.

"Which brings the question, why do the bloody bastards want the thing now?" he asked with his right fist placed under his chin.

Fran nodded and sat next to Balthier who was now sitting up, "Not only do I know this will not end well, but I know it will not end well for _you_," she said and placed her right hand over his left which was resting on his thigh and looked him in the eyes when he looked up at her. Fran was afraid she was going to lose him before she gathered the courage to tell him that she loved him. Yes, the Viera loved the blasted hume and it made her heart tare into two. Without the Archadian sky pirate Fran would be but a useless vessel floating in space. Fran remembered Jote's warning from two years prior, when she first took Balthier to see her homeland.

"_You are making a mistake, sister. You are a wood-warder of the Eruyt, you do not love, and most of all, you do not love _humes_," Jote said the word humes with extreme abhorrence in her tone._

"_You do not understand, Jote, for you have not felt love for another being outside of the village," Fran responded._

"_You are still young, dear Fran. I cannot bear to see you have your disposition destroyed by a _hume_, not only a hume but an _Archadian_ hume. You are the youngest of our sisters and have a full life time ahead of you, and you are too young to be exiled by the wood and Lente," she said._

"_Lente and the wood do not give second chances, Jote, and if they did I would still walk with the humes," Fran replied and began to walk away._

"_Does he feel the same about you, Fran?" Jote asked. Fran stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the moss covered floor._

"_I… do not know," she replied, a hint of sorrow in her voice was apparent. _

"_That, my sister, is why I, along with others, do not leave the wood. We will not be hurt by humes and their wild hormones and emotions," Jote said, and sounded almost victorious._

"_Then you are afraid of pain, thus you are a coward," Fran responded, a smirk displayed across her face._

"_Call me what you wish, isherei, but I am content," the older Viera stated as Fran walked out of the room. Yes, there were times where Fran wanted to return to the wood, but Balthier was her life now, he was her everything, and she loved him._

Fran snapped back into reality when she realized Balthier was calling her name, "I am sorry, I lost my train of thought," she said.

Balthier smiled, "I had no idea how much this would bother you, Fran, you are free to accompany me if you wish to," he said and flashed that lazy, cute-ass smirk that even made his Vieran partner cringe. The young sky pirate then rose from the sofa and walked toward his sleeping quarters.

"Balthier," Fran said, she decided that she was going to tell him.

"Yes, Fran?" the pirate said as he turned around to face the Veena Viera.

"Never mind," she said, she could not bring herself to tell him. The pirate shrugged and walked into his room. Eventually she would tell him. Eventually.

Later that evening there was a knock at the entrance to the _Strahl_. As Balthier went to answer it, the people knocking held a piece of cloth to his mouth which caused him to pass out. Chloroform, of course. The assailants then walked to Fran's bed chambers and abducted her. The pair was in for a bumpy ride. If only Balthier wasn't such a dirty whore.


End file.
